Post for everyone who QUIT evil fags

annascott

Hi everyone

I haven't posted on here for ages, but am still smoke free and proudly in my sixth month now. Good to see everyone still hanging in there and supporting eachother. I can see that I am not alone with the weight gain either (although it seems to be girls more than guys who this happens to..) Have got really bloated and too ashamed to go anywhere but work and back. I think this might be something to do with replacing cigarettes with beer at weekends. I know what I have to do and will start. Too far gone to negotiate your 5k run thing, but maybe one day... I have almost three stone on since January. Main thing is that I am not smoking and don't intend to.

westies4ever

big day yesterday, went to take that with a load of mates, lots of alcohol all day and i didnt smoke - i didnt even think about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

susanweir

annascott wrote: »

Hi everyone

I haven't posted on here for ages, but am still smoke free and proudly in my sixth month now. Good to see everyone still hanging in there and supporting eachother. I can see that I am not alone with the weight gain either (although it seems to be girls more than guys who this happens to..) Have got really bloated and too ashamed to go anywhere but work and back. I think this might be something to do with replacing cigarettes with beer at weekends. I know what I have to do and will start. Too far gone to negotiate your 5k run thing, but maybe one day... I have almost three stone on since January. Main thing is that I am not smoking and don't intend to.

Hi Anna, stopping smoking is probably one of the greatest achievements in life, but it comes at a price for some of us. I know exactly where you are coming from. I have quit several times over 30 years of smoking and have always gained weight. The last time I went back on the fags it was almost a conscious decision as I felt putting on so much weight it just wasn't worth it. This time, I was ready for that feeling, and said I would give myself 6 months, and then tackle the weight. I have gained a stone, which doesn't seem much but it's a lot for my height (5.3). However, it is a huge issue for me and I am determined to emerge a slim non-smoker at the end of the summer.:)

karrieando

Oh God ...I quit a year ago and still miss them several times a day every day !! My other half doesn't smoke and I didn't even intend giving up , recently started exercising to combat the weight gain ...it feels so much easier sometimes to buy a pack but so far each time I have gone to buy a new pack , I surprise myself by coming out empty handed !!
Despite missing them , I can say categorically that the smell of cigs is now quite sickening for me to tolerate so i know i wont go back on them ...best of luck to you all , it does become easier to forget them , my secret was to keep busy and have plenty distractions.

mud

I was at a very sad funeral (aren't they all) today.

Didn't smoke and wasn't offered any either.

People are finally listening to me!

Boo-yeah.

DenMan

nice thread

My last cigarettes were on Christmas Eve night 2010 (I had two). Then I went cold turkey on them and haven't looked back since. I'm very proud of myself. Congrats to everyone else who has quit those horrible cancer sticks. Well done. It's a tremendous achievement

Michelle F

Hi everyone....new to the forum, I am at the moment on day 16 of not smoking but the past couple of days have been harder than the past couple of weeks, haven't given in to the urge but am glad I searched online today for a forum with people going through the same thing as myself. Have been smoking for at least 15 yrs 20 a day and tried giving up twice before both attempts lasting about 2 months each time....hoping this time will be for good

westies4ever

well done michelle - keep it up - once you get a month over you it'll get easier!

Magicmatilda

Hi All,

I'm on day 2 of this journey. Really just don't want to be a smoker anymore. So I didn't smoke yesterday and I joined Weightwatchers and went for a jog. I tink its best to put a whole new healthy living plan in place because I really don't want to put on weight and I think the jog will hellp me see the improvement in my fitness which will hopefully push me on in the right direction. So yeah day 2. feeling positive.

mud

Magicmatilda wrote: »

Hi All,

I'm on day 2 of this journey. Really just don't want to be a smoker anymore. So I didn't smoke yesterday and I joined Weightwatchers and went for a jog. I tink its best to put a whole new healthy living plan in place because I really don't want to put on weight and I think the jog will hellp me see the improvement in my fitness which will hopefully push me on in the right direction. So yeah day 2. feeling positive.

Do you know what worked for me? I gave up white bread, crisps and chocolate the same day I stopped smoking. Was so confused I didn't know what I wanted and was able to get through the withdrawals that way. Also, water and apples are amazing for helping you through.

Best of luck.

alliejane

well done to all who have beaten the ciggs, i am off them over a year now (yeah!!) A little tip for you, ask your friends not to mention when they are off out for a cig and when I am out socially in new company if offered a cig or asked if I would like to go out for one I just say I dont smoke rather than I have given up as it works better other wise you get dragged in to long conversations about giving up and as we all know its hard enough when you are out and have a few drinks not to fall off the wagon.

NavanEPS

Well I can't believe I made it but I am now off the auld fags one year and one day!
I would like to thank my friends at boards.ie for this forum which especially helped me in the first few months. It is the most difficult thing I have done in my life (habit changes always are) but it is SO worth it. From 20 Carrolls a day to nothing.

It is absolutely fantastic to be free from them. They don't control my day anymore.
So thanks to you all for listening to me shout this from the rooftops.

To all those who are starting out or just finding it a bit tricky, just say "feck them they won't win".
Thanks and good luck to all

Optimus485

Big Congrats Navan!

I'm off them since 01/01/10 (nearly 1 and a half years). It feels great that I'm not a smoker anymore. I will never forget the first few months that were so tough but so worth it. I was getting chest infections every few weeks when I was a smoker, but since giving up I have not had a chest infection. I rememeber the 1 year mark where I knew I had conquered my habit.

Well done!

mud

Just thought I'd check in and let ye know that I'm doing really well. Really, really well. Top of the world and a very happy non-smoker.

I'm at just over two months now and it feels great, everyday life has fallen into a routine that doesn't involve smoking and I've almost had a day where I didn't think about smoking, just before I fell asleep I thought about the fact that I hadn't thought about smoking .

I find the lemon juice in hot water first thing has really helped, it's a great way to start the day and gives me a nice boost as well as helping to clean my insides. Also, I am upping my exercise all the time as it is just a joy to see how my stamina and fitness are growing day on day.

Yay for me, and yay for all you lucky people who have given up as well. You can do it! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

mojesius

mud wrote: »

Very well done mo, holidays are tough I'd say. How long are you off them?

Thanks! Haven't been online for weeks. Actually, it wasn't too bad on holidays. Lots of things to distract you. I found listening to music really helped when I had bad cravings. Off them 6 weeks this week. It's not tough anymore.

yungwan

Hi everyone.

Fellow non-smoker here!

Off them 1 year and 5 months.

I did have one small discrepancy shall we say (just before the one year mark) but I was so mad at myself the next day that I said feck it I would continue rather than start again.

I can honestly say not smoking doesnt bother me any more. I rarely think of them and I know if I had one it would be discusting and make me feel ill. Why would I force my body to smoke something it doesnt even need or want anymore? Pretty foolish really.

The other night we had a family emergency and I thought briefly of how a fag could calm me down, but I quickly told myself to cop on, in fairness how would a fag help the situation. In the mist of everything I thought to myself "Wow, you really have beaten them ba*trds!!"

Keep it up everyone, get support from the great people on here, and take up some exercise.

saa

I was surprised at how easy it was, but I have a big issue with 20 packs

I've had intense cravings twice to do with stress and I've bought a pack twice, so I smoke 40 if I could buy them singly I would of smoked 2

yungwan

saa wrote: »

I was surprised at how easy it was, but I have a big issue with 20 packs

I've had intense cravings twice to do with stress and I've bought a pack twice, so I smoke 40 if I could buy them singly I would of smoked 2

I see your point, but I guess if you could buy them in ones, it would be too tempting to "just have one" all the time?

I know when I first quit I would have been put off buying a full pack for to have one smoke. So really it helps you not buy them at all.

Also young people would buy more cigarettes if they were sold singularly. As they could afford to smoke daily just buying a couple with pocket money.

Well done on quitting though,at least we dont have to worry anymore about this!!

cassia

off them since Tuesday at 2.30. Yesterday was a killer, I really thought
I would lose it but today so far hasn't been too bad. P.G. I will manage to quit this time

Paigne

Been off them nearly a month now, have a few drags when I'm drinking though, but meh, no drags sober yet

Kya1976

I stopped a week ago, the first few days were grand, but I really had some bad cravings all weekend. I'm gonna stick with it though.

deeduck48

me and OH quit together 22months ago and i nearly left him in the first few days, the rows were unbeleivable!!!
what made us quit was the fact that i had been out of work for months and we were planning to get married last yr but no savings to get loan, so we quit started putting money into CU account, after a few months we had enough saved (€4000) to get first loan of 8000.the money aspect kept us going. 20 each a day then was (€7.15 by 2) by 7 = alot!!
we've lost weight, got married and currently expecting our 1st smoke free baba!:D OH finds it tough still but i cant beleive we used to do that, when i see other people smoking , i feel dissapointed in myself! :eek:

susanweir

mojesius wrote: »

Thanks! Haven't been online for weeks. Actually, it wasn't too bad on holidays. Lots of things to distract you. I found listening to music really helped when I had bad cravings. Off them 6 weeks this week. It's not tough anymore.

Hi mojesius and others,

I'm just back from holidays in Spain. Had my 6-month anniversary of no fags while over there. I don't know if this is just me (a much weaker version of other people here?) but I found the whole holiday a complete endurance test as far as fags are concerned:mad:. While I don't think about them much at home, the fact that I was surrounded by people smoking was a constant irritant, and I was so envious of them with their coffees/beers and cigs. At one stage I was looking at a woman smoking while she was lying on a sunbed and I had to imagine her lying in a hospital bed on a drip 'cos of the effects of smoking!:o I couldn't wait to get home. It's okay now I'm back TG.

thredgold

I hope you don't mind an Aussie posting to this board. 2 weeks ago, without even planning to, I walked into a chemist and bought a pack of nicoteen gum. I am 40 years old and have smoked since I was 13. I just knew that it was time to stop. I subconsciously knew that I would recognise when it was the right time for me to quit. I have been enjoying it less and less over the last few years and I can feel it affecting my health. Over the years, I have tried to 'quit' a number of times but it has always been for the wrong reasons. It has been because I have been pressured by someone else like my parents, a girlfriend or my wife. When I 'quit' on those occasions, I would tell myself I was a smoker just not smoking. Within days I was sneaking fags. This time I have told myself I am a non-smoker. I didn't tell anyone I was quitting and it took nearly a week for my wife to say "there's something different about you???, oh.. you're not smoking". This time I have stopped smoking because I want to. That is the big difference. And....because I want to quit I am finding that stopping smoking has been surprisingly easy (which it never was when I 'quit' before but deep down I really didn't want to). That's not to say that I haven't had physical withdrawals this time around. The gum has been a godsend. I think the worst of the physical withdrawals are gone and I am not even thinking about going outside for a fag. Actually, I am finding the thought of that disgusting (I never ever thought I would hear myself say that). I wish everyone the best in their efforts to quit.

conan doyle

God,

You are fantastic for doing this. I have tried and failed so many times that no one including myself believes it any more. Funny thing is I used to be a smoker and gave them up for twenty years. A very very stressful situation started me again a couple of years back. So be warned you have to be on the alert. As for myself I have thrown my hat at it despite six chronic chest infections this winter, a constant cough that wakes me several times a night and an emergency trip to A and E with breathing problems. So good luck to you in your attempt, I'll be rooting for you and all the others who have the strength and conviction to do it.

conan doyle

Hi Susan,
Well done, I really mean that, I can't seem to crack it myself. Your imagery of of seeing sun bathers on hols as people who are lying on a hospital bed due to their smoking is unique. I just can't get it out of my head. Well done and keep it up.

susanweir

Thanks Conan Doyle,

When I re-read my post, I realised that I must have sounded like a complete looney!:eek: However, it was merely a desperate tactic to keep me from smoking. I am fine now that I am home, and have joined the gym to get fitter and lose the weight I have gained over the last 6 months. I am determined I will not smoke again (despite the fact that my husband smokes still, which was another reason I think I was so tempted on holiday).

It is not actually as hard as imagined it would be to stop. Would you consider giving it another go?

conan doyle

Susan, I don't think you're a loon I think you're a legend. The imaginary you used started me thinking about hospital and cancer and made me think seriously about each cig I put in my mouth. While I originally planned this week as a quit date I've decided to wait till Monday as I had to put my beloved cat aged 14 to sleep today. My heart is broken and my head is all over the place but I'm determined to start on Monday. In spite of this devastating set back I'm more determined than ever now because in the midst of the grief I'm feeling right now I suddenly realised that 100 cigs or 1000 cigs won't make me feel better. The flame of my smoking as a form of self destruction has ignited I fully intend to fan it into a blaze by Monday. Please send out the positive vibes, I know they will help.

susanweir

Hi Conan,

I sent you a private message.

Also sending you as many positive vibes as I can muster!!!!:D

Go for it on Monday, or whenever are ready. There is lots of support here for you. I think these boards really got me through the hardest part - the first few weeks. I think I might be still smoking otherwise.

EverEvolving

Wow Susan, 6 months is great, well done.

I'm on day 12 of cold turkey and it's getting easier with each passing day. This is my 4th attempt so hopefully I will have learned all the pitfalls and be able to ignore the mind tricks that happened all the other times. I've decided to give up drinking for a while too as that was the main reason I went back the other times. What's a few months out of a lifetime in order to be off the feckin things?! This time around I'm feeling a lot stronger about it too and I'm more determined to suceed.

Am finding the whyquit website very good, especially the article on dopamine and the way nicotine works and there are some very inspiring articles there too. That and fox's glacier mints!